Red Lights & Warning Signs
by Blue.n.whiteStripes
Summary: "I'm like a bomb; you're anxiously counting the minutes until I explode. I'm fucked up; my life is fucked up. I'm alone." "You're never alone. You have me." A CAMAYA STORY with a Cam/Owen friendship
1. Chapter 1

**AN**: I miss Camaya; I really do. They were, and still are, my favorite couple. Don't get me wrong, I like Hollingsworth, but Camaya was just my OTP!

So yeah, this story is a little dark. It has cutting and suicidal thoughts in it, but don't worry, CAM WILL NOT DIE!

Read and leave me pleasant reviews! :) Follow/favorite my story!

I answer all reviewers in PMs. Guest reviewers will have to wait until my next update.

This is a story that'll be updated every two weeks. It may be a 10-15 chapter story.

Enough rambling. Enjoy!

**Summary**: _"I'm like a bomb; you're anxiously counting the minutes until I explode. I'm fucked up; my life is fucked up. I'm alone." "You're never alone. You _have me." **A** **CAMAYA STORY**

**Rated T**

**Disclaimer**: Degrassi is own by Stephen Stohn. I own nothing Degrassi related, sadly.

**Chapter One: I'm a Ticking Bomb, Baby**

The cool, metal blade touches his skin and he feels his adrenaline pump with anxiety. Campbell Saunders presses the sharp razor blade on his flesh and draws a line, red blood trailing behind the blade. He inhales a sharp breath, biting his lip to prevent him from crying out in pain. Warm tears slide down his face as he takes the blade to cut yet another part of his flesh.

Cam sits the razor on the sink, admiring the work he had just done. Blood drips from his arms and falls on the sink and splattered on the floor.

Campbell was a very depressed guy. With everything going on in his life, he had no choice but to turn to self-mutilation. He's insecure, stressed, and feels alone.

_"You're not alone. You have me." _He can just hear Maya's angelic voice saying that. Of course he has Maya, but sometimes he felt like she was slipping away. She seems terrified of him and she distances herself from him when ever he talks "crazy".

"I am not crazy!" Campbell grits through his teeth as he looks at his reflection in the mirror.

_"Tell me Campbell,"_ his inner voice sneers, _"what do you see?"_

When Cam looks at himself, he sees nothing but a depressed, lonely guy. He sees a guy who had too much weight on his shoulder. People expect him to be the perfect hockey player! He's the team MVP... the celebrity of the Ice Hounds.

That all didn't matter to him.

"Cam?" his billet mom, Carol, calls through the door. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, Carol," Cam says, the lie dripping from his tongue. "I'm fine."

.  
.

"Hey Cheesy," Maya greets as Cam walks inside of Degrassi. She wraps her arms around him to pull him into a warm embrace.

Something he needed.

"Hey," Cam says, returning the hug.

"I called you this morning. Are you okay?" she asks worriedly.

Did Cam want to tell his girlfriend that he spent the morning cutting just before he came to school? How would she react to the news? Would she even want to stay with him once she found out?

Cam couldn't take that chance. He didn't want Maya to be even more scared of him than she already is. He had just gotten her. There was no way in hell he was going to lose her.

"I'm fine," he says, forcing a smile on his face. "Want me to walk you to your locker?"

"Sure." She smiles, taking his hand in hers.

They walk to Maya's locker and Cam watches as she puts her combination in. When she opens her locker, the inside reveals pictures of her and Cam. Cam smiles, admiring the heartwarming pictures.

Maya grabs her books and closes her locker. Next, the couple walks to Cam's locker. After he puts in his combination and grabs his books, they're greeted by Tristan.

"Cam, Owen says the team needs to see you pronto. They seem really pissed."

Cam gulps. He knows why they're pissed off. Cam had skipped hockey practice yesterday. He walked Maya home and went home to have a peaceful sleep. Something that he hasn't had in a while.

Before parting from his friend and girlfriend, he kisses Maya on the cheek. Cam walks down the halls and goes into the hockey arena where the team is waiting on him. They all stand their, arms crossed, giving him daggers.

"Where were you at yesterday, Rookie?" Dallas sneers, eyeing Cam.

"I- I wasn't feeling well, so I went home." Lies. He was full of lies today.

"How you feeling today?" Owen asks.

"Better."

"Good," Dallas comments, still looking at him menacingly. "While you were busy not feeling well, we were busting our asses at practice! You're doing suicidal drills today, Rookie. I expect you to be there today."

Cam looks at the rest of the team, hoping they'll feel a little sympathy for him. They all glance at him, giving him the same look as Dallas. The only one who showed sympathy was Owen, but he didn't dare speak. Everyone knew not to speak against Dallas.

"You're dismissed," Dallas says as the bell chimes loudly.

Cam walks away, going into his first hour which was French 1. He goes into the classroom where he sees Maya and Tristan talking. When they spot him, they stop talking and look up at him with a smile on their faces.

"What did the team want?" Maya questions once Cam takes a seat.

"I have to stay late for practice."

"What? Why? You were supposed to come over today," Maya pouts.

"I know, but I didn't go to practice yesterday-"

"You said it was cancelled."

"Awkward," Tristan sings, turning away from the conversation.

"I lied," Cam admits.

"Why would you lie?"

"Can we not talk about this here, in class? I'll tell you at lunch. Okay?"

"Fine," she mumbles just as Madame Jean-Aux waltzes in the classroom.

.  
.

Lunch came sooner than Cam expected. After kindly declining to sit with his teammates, Cam goes outside where Maya said she would be. The weather is nice out, so there was no complaining.

Cam spots Maya's blonde hair from afar. He grins to himself, walking to the table she was sitting at.

"Okay," Maya says once Cam is seated, "_now_ will you tell me why you lied?"

"I'm just sick of hockey! Dallas is stressing me out and everyone is putting so much pressure on me because I'm supposed to be the star player."

"But, you _are_ the star player. I don't understand why you don't want to play hockey anymore. I thought this was something you wanted."

"No!" Cam yells, causing heads to turn. "You don't understand, Maya."

"Then help me understand, please," she pleads.

"I can't. You'll leave me," he whispers.

"I won't leave you. You should know that by now, Cam. I love you."

Cam looks at his girlfriend and he can't help but to let tears fall down his face. He is broken; damaged. He couldn't believe Maya when she said she'll never leave him. Although there's a serious tone in her voice, he can't find it in his heart to believe her.

If Cam was to tell Maya everything that was wrong with him, she'd leave. He knows she will. She'd look at him like he's insane. He couldn't let that happen.

"Campbell, trust me when I say I love you. I need you to just trust me."

"You'll think I'm crazy."

"Cam-"

"I can't do this. I gotta go," Cam says in a rushed tone. He gets up and runs away from Maya. He ignores her cries and pleas. Cam runs into the school and heads straight into the bathroom. He looks at himself in the mirror and watches the tears flow down his face.

Cam starts to hyperventilate. He grips the sink until his knuckles are ghost white. He feels himself getting lightheaded, but that doesn't stop him.

The door to the men's bathroom open and Cam sees Owen walk in. He tries to stop hyperventilating, but he can't.

"Yo, Cam. Calm down," Owen says worriedly. He rushes to Cam, but was too late. Cam collapses on the cold, tile floor.


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: **I want to thank you for the reviews! And for the reviewers, I PM'd you. For my guest reviewer, keep reading the author's note to see your question being answered.

Xo . BlackRoses: The story is _mostly _in Cam's POV, but you'll see Owen's pov in this chapter. Maya's pov won't be until the next chapter which I'll post in a couple of days. Also, Dallas will have a few parts in here where it's told in his pov, too.

I forgot to mention, you will not like Dallas at the beginning of this story. He is an a-hole towards Cam, especially in this chapter. Well, enjoy!

Don't forget to leave me reviews, favorite/follow my story!

**Disclaimer: **Stephen Stohn owns Degrassi.

**Chapter Two: I'm Damaged**

_(Cam)_

His eyes slowly pry open and the brightness of the lights hurts his eyes so he closes them tightly. A groan escapes from his cracked lips as he feels his head start to throb.

"Cam, are you awake?"

Cam's eyes flutters open and he sees Maya, along with Owen, hovering over him. Both of them have concerned looks on their faces. Cam tries to sit up, but her groans louder.

"Don't try to sit up, Campbell," Owen says sternly. "You had a minor concussion from that nasty fall you had yesterday."

"I- What happened?"

"You were freaking out in the bathroom. I tried to get you to calm down, but you passed out. You hit your head so hard on that floor. I was scared," Owen says in a sad tone.

"I thought I was going to lose you! When I saw the paramedics get you, and you weren't responding, I thought you were gone," Maya whispers as tears fall down her cheek.

Cam felt a pang of guilt flow through his body. Not only did he make Owen worry, but he had hurt Maya. She thought that she was going to lose him. He was sure, now, that she was afraid.

Owen mumbles that he's going to go tell the doctor Cam is awake. Once he closes the door behind him, Maya goes to sit on the bed next to Cam. She places a small, soft kiss on his lips. The corner of Cam's lips tugs into a smile.

"You had me worried sick! Don't ever do that, again."

"I won't," Cam promised. "Where's Carol?"

"She's on her way, actually."

"Anyone else come?" Cam asks a little hopeful.

"Tris came by and Katie did, too with Jake. Owen kept saying that Dallas was going to come by, but..."

"It's fine. At least Owen came to-"

Cam was interrupted by the door opening. Owen had walked in with a man in his mid-thirties and with Carol. The man greets Cam and tells him his name is Doctor Watts.

Doctor Watts talks to Cam, informing him that he has a small bump on his head and he may want to stay away from physical things for a couple of days. He prescribes Cam with some medication to help him with his head and then Cam was on his way out of the hospital.

Carol tells Cam that she has to get back to work so Owen said he'd get Cam and Maya home safely. After thanking Owen plenty of times, Carol was on her way.

Owen, Cam, and Maya walks to Owen's car and they all get in. Once Owen starts the car, he turns to look at Cam and Maya.

"Do you two have somewhere specific you want to go?" He questions.

"I need to go home to shower and change."

"I guess you can drop us both off at Cam's," Maya says while reaching her hand over go grip Cam's.

Cam shoots Maya a loving smile. He leans over to peck his girlfriends on the cheek.

He was lucky to have someone like Maya. She made the pain go away when she was near him. She made Cam forget that he was depressed sometimes. She's take away all of his troubles just by smiling at him. He didn't know where he'd be without her.

Owen pulls up at Cam's house. The couple thanks Owen and before leaving, Owen says he'll be back later to check on Cam.

"I'll be back, I'm going to go shower and change," Cam announces.

"Okay, Cheesy," Maya grins.

Cam goes up the stairs and into his room. He grabs a green T-Shirt and a pair of blue jeans. He also grabs his boxers and some socks before going into the bathroom to take a shower.

After his shower and getting dressed, Cam goes into his room to see Maya sitting cross-legged on his bed. He gives her a soft smile as he flops on the bed next to her. Maya's arms immediately goes around Cam. He wraps his arms around her and the two sit there for a while.

Cam didn't realize how this little thing has affected Maya. He can only imagine how she'd react if she knew what was going on with him.

That's why he wasn't going to tell her. Cam was going to have to be brave and sane... for Maya.

.  
.

_(Owen)_

After dropping Maya and Cam at Cam's place, Owen decides to go to the Torres'. Once he reaches his destination, he gets out of the car and walks on to the porch. He rings the doorbell and Audra answers the door moments later.

"Owen, good to see you. The boys are in the basement."

"Good to see you, too, Mrs. Torres."

Audra steps aside and lets Owen into the house. He goes down the steps that leads to the basement. When he gets down there, he sees Adam, Drew, and Dallas watching TV.

"Yo!" Owen says, catching their attention. Adam grabs the remote to mute the TV and he flashes Owen a welcoming smile along with Drew.

"Hey, how's your teammate?" Drew questions just as Owen sits on the couch with the guys.

"He's good. He just went home today."

"Good, because that little bastard will end up costing us the damn game," Dallas spits out furiously.

Adam, Drew, and Owen gives him the "are you fucking kidding me?!" look. Dallas just shrugs as if he didn't just say that!

"What the fuck is your problem?" Owen snaps.

"Cam will cost us our games, and then we won't make it to the playoffs! He's never at practice and-"

"Cam _does_ go to practice," Owen argues. "That kid busts his balls to make sure we win! He missed two practices and you suddenly act like the poor kid has done something so wrong!"

"He lied to us about being sick, Owen! Open your fucking eyes! He's trying to cost us our games! He wants us to lose! He's sabotaging us."

"Do you hear yourself fuckin' talking? This is our MVP you're talking about! He had a better shot at making it to the pros than any of us. Cam would never sabotage us!"

Owen and Dallas has forgotten that the Torres' brothers were there. They argued back and forth. After getting irritated, Owen gets up and says goodbye to Adam and Drew. He glares at Dallas before walking out of the house.

Owen storms off to his car and gets in. He drives off to Cam's house.

Why would Dallas say that Cam was trying to sabotage them? Didn't he know that hockey meant as much to Cam as it did to the others? Cam was the Ice Hounds star player, he'd never go against the team.

Would he?

When he arrives, he knocks lightly on the door. Maya answered the door and let him step in. He walked in and saw Cam lounging on the sofa eating popcorn.

"Hey Owen," Cam grins.

"Hey, Cam. Can I talk to you for a second?" Owen asks as his eyes adverts to Maya.

"I'm just gonna go to the washroom," Maya says awkwardly.

She walks up the steps as Owen takes a seat on the sofa. He makes himself comfortable and grabs a handful of popcorn.

"So, Dallas thinks you're doing all of this on purpose," Owen says as he throws a popcorn in his mouth.

"Doing what?" Cam asks confusedly.

"You being sick and then you passing out, but that's stupid. Right?"

Cam doesn't say anything so Owen continues. "He thinks you're trying to sabotage our team. He says you're trying to screw us up."

"I'd never do that," Cam argues defensively. "What kind of guy does Dallas think I am?"

"Apparently not a loyal one," Owen mumbles as he grabs some more popcorn.

Owen chuckles to himself. He knew Dallas was just overreacting and seeing things! This is Campbell Saunders they were talking about. This guy was made to play hockey. Not only would he be sabotage team, but he'd be sabotaging his career. They all know he wouldn't do that.

.

.

_(Cam)_

Cam walks into the school and all eyes were set on him. He feels his face growing hot with embarrassment as he walks down the halls. People whispers and point at him, but he tries to brush the negativity away.

Cam goes straight to his locker and puts in his combination. Once he opens it, it gets forcefully slammed shut! Cam whirls his head around and comes face to face with an angry Dallas. He gulps so loud that everyone around them could hear.

"Owen may think that you're loyal to the team, but I don't see it. You miss practice today and your ass is off the team! I can guarantee that."

Before Cam could say anything, Dallas walks away. Sighing, Cam turns back around to open his locker. He grabs his books and slams his locker shut, earning a few looks.

Cam storms down the halls and tries to go unnoticed by Maya, but she saw him.

"Cam!" She calls out, running towards him.

"Not now, Maya!" Cam says more harsh than he intended to.

"Can you please talk to me?" she pleads.

Cam knows that if he turns around to see her sad face, he'd want to talk to her. He'd want to forget about harming himself, although it was something that he should forget to do.

"I'll see you in class," Cam says softly as he jogs down the hall and into the bathroom. He immediately runs into the bathroom stall and grabs one of his ice skates. He touches the tip of the blade and sighs. He didn't want to do this, but it was something that took away his pain.

The pain that no one could take away. Not even Maya.

Cam rolls up his sleeve and balances his arm. He slides the blade on his arm and blood oozes out. Cam winces in pain. Tears falls down his face and in that moment, as he watches the blood drip down his arms, he wishes he was dead.

.

.

_(Owen)_

"Rookie!" Dallas yells, "Focus on the puck! Keep your head on the ice!"

Cam was skating his laps. Sweat was drenched on his face and he was beginning to breathe heavily,

"Dallas, don't you think you want to let him rest for a while?" Owen questions.

"No! He needs to learn his lesson."

It was a little after practice and Dallas had Cam stay a little while to get more practice in. He wouldn't let Cam have a water break and he wouldn't let his rest. Owen tried numerous of times to talk Dallas out of this, but he wouldn't budge.

After an hour and a half has gone by, Dallas figured he has had enough.

"Alright, Rookie, go."

Cam skates off the ice and storms passed Owen and Dallas. Dallas chuckles and shakes his head.

"You're an ass, you know that?"

"You want to run those suicidal drills too?" When Owen didn't response, Dallas sneers, "I didn't think so."

Owen hated that Dallas was captain! He let that title get to his head. He was meaner than usual and he was extra tough.

Owen decided to go check on Cam to see how he was. He begins to walk past the boys' bathroom until he hears something. It's the sound of someone crying. Owen pushes the door open slowly and quietly tiptoes in.

All the stalls were open so he wouldn't have trouble finding out who was crying. He finds the stall and sees something he hasn't expected to see!

Cam was sitting on the toilet with his hockey skate in his hand and he was cutting himself with the blade! The blood was flowing fast down his arm and splattering on to the floor.

"Cam, stop!"

Cam looks alarmed. He looks up and Owen and the tears flow heavily. Owen is in shocked. It's like his feet are glued to the floor.

"Please, don't tell Maya I'm damaged." was all Cam said.


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: **I want to thank you all for the reviews. These reviews mean a lot to me. And in case you're all wondering, Luke will be in the story. In fact, he's in this chapter. I won't have his pov until the next chapter. He doesn't have a big part in this chapter, either. He's just in here briefly. Don't you all worry, he'll be in the next chapter.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Degrassi; Stephen Stohn does.

Don't forget to leave me reviews! :) Suggestions are also welcomed.

**Chapter Three: Let Us Help You**

_(Owen)_

He still can't believe the sight he walked in on! Cam was sitting on the toilet, cutting himself! Out of everything he could have said, he told Owen, "Please, don't tell Maya I'm broken." How about saying, "I need help!"

Owen watches as the blood drips from Cam's arms and drop on to the floor. He watches as Cam stares at him with horror in his eyes. His body is trembling and his tears are flowing heavily down his face.

Owen finally finds the strength to go over to Cam. He crouches down and rips part of his shirt off. He takes the scraps of his shirt and wraps it around Cam's bleeding wound. Cam winces in pain as Owen curses under his breath.

"Damn it Cam! Is your life so hard that you have to cut yourself?" Owen yells, causing Cam to flinch.

"You don't understand," Cam mumbles. "Nobody does."

"You're going to help me understand," Owen commands standing back up. "I will help you get through this, Cam."

He means that, too. Owen looks at Cam like he was one of his brothers. He looks out for him since no one else would. Everyone on the hockey team does give him a hard time, especially Dallas! He makes Cam's life feel like he's living in hell. Owen didn't know that it had bothered Cam that much! If he would've known, he would've beat the crap out of Dallas and his posse when they first started bullying Cam.

When Cam doesn't respond to Owen, he sighs. He wants, no he _needs_, to know why Cam is doing this! Why is their star player harming himself?

"Are you going to tell me, or do I have to force it out of you?"

"Owen, I-"

"Tell me!" Owen demands. "I can't allow you to continue doing some shit like this, Campbell! What if you accidentally cut a vein and you die?! Do you realize that you-"

"I know what I'm doing," Cam interjects.

"I don't think you do, because if you did, you wouldn't have gotten caught! Cam, look-"

"You don't know anything, Owen, so leave me alone!"

Cam stands up and pushes past Owen. Owen watches as he storms off. When he hears the bathroom door slam, Owen growls and punches the wall in fury! Why couldn't Cam just let Owen help him? He didn't want him to go to Maya, but he was going to eventually have to. Cam needs to know that people actually care about him. Owen has to show him that him, Tristan, and Maya are here for him.

Owen walks out of the bathroom to see Dallas coming down the hall with Luke. Both of them wore a devious smile. Owen rolls his eyes in annoyance. With the stuff he had just found out, he didn't feel like dealing with Dallas' bullshit at the moment.

"Rookie looks pissed," Dallas smiles.

"Just chill, okay?" Owen snaps.

"Whoa, what has your panties in a bunch Milligan?" Luke sneers with a slimy smile on his face.

Leave it to Luke to try and fit in. He was one of the good guys, until he got around Dallas. It was like his brain was turned off around Dallas and Dallas did most of the thinking for him. It was as if Dallas was controlling Luke's mind.

"Leave me alone," Owen says as he begins to walk away.

"Now, what type of teammate turns his back on their team?" Dallas calls out as Owen reaches the end of the hall.

Owen slowly turns around and says, "The type that is fed up with the team's bullshit." He turns back around and walks to his class.

.

.

All he can think about is Cam. He knows that Cam needs help, but how could he help him? Owen decided to ask Adam. If there is anyone that's good at giving advice, it's him.

It was lunch time when Owen decided that he needs to talk to Adam. He scans the lunchroom and spots Adam sitting at the table with his friends. When Owen walks to the table, he gets dirty looks from Alli and Eli. Hew ignores those looks and focuses his attention on Adam.

"Hey, Adam. Can I talk to you, please?"

"Sure," Adam responds slowly as he gets up.

Owen tells Adam to follow him and they walk out of the lunchroom. They stop in the middle of the hall. Before asking his question, Owen looks around to make sure no one is out here. Thankfully, most of the people were either outside or in the lunchroom.

He takes a deep breath, thinking about the question he's getting ready to ask. "How do you help someone who doesn't want your help?"

_(Maya)_

Something is wrong with Cam. She knows it. Maya has tried to talk to him, but he kept pushing her away. Now, he's avoiding her. All she wanted to know what was going on and is it her fault.

Maya wipes away a tear that falls from her eyes. She hears someone clear their throat and her head whips around. She sees Owen standing there with his arms folded firmly across his chest.

"We need to talk to Cam. There's something going on with him," Owen says.

"Yeah, I know. I just don't know what it is."

"Me either, but whatever it is he thinks cutting will solve it," he blurts out.

"Cutting? Cam is- oh my! How do you know?"

"I saw him in the stalls this morning."

"We need to help him," Maya affirms in a shaky voice.

"I know and I know how."

.

.

"What's going on here?" Cam asks once he takes a seat on Maya's sofa.

Maya and Owen decided that they needed to have an intervention for Cam. Tristan would have came, but he's at his rehearsal for Eli's play. They did tell Tristan what was going on and he's scared for Cam. They all are.

Maya looks over at Owen and bites her lip. She's nervous about Cam's reaction. How will he act when he finds out that she knows?

"Are you two going to tell me that you've been sneaking around behind my back and now you're together?" Cam asks angrily.

"Oh, God, no!" Maya shrieks, standing up. She takes a calm breath and sits back on the sofa. She clears her throat and whispers, "I know."

"You know what?" Cam asks confusedly.

Maya reaches for Cam's arm, but he pushes her away. They struggle for a while until Maya is able to lift up Cam's sleeve. She gasps as she looks at the nasty gashes on his arms. She reaches out to try and touch it, but she's afraid. She lets the tears fall because she can't believe it!

Why is Cam hurting himself?

"Why?" She asks out loud, shaking her head.

"You told?!" Cam yells at Owen, "I told you not to tell her I'm damaged! You ruined everything! Now, she's afraid of me!"

Cam tries to get up and leave, but Owen stands up and pushes Cam back on the sofa. Cam opens his mouth to protest, but Maya grabs his hand softly. She strokes it and begs him not to leave.

Cam looks at her with tears in his eyes. When he blinks they pour out. Maya takes her free hand to wipe the tears away and then she starts to cry.

"Please tell us what's wrong?" Maya whispers hoarsely.

"You'll leave me if I do," Cam states, "and I can't have you leave me."

"Cam, I'll never leave you. I love you. We're in this together Cam," Maya then turns to Owen and says, "Owen and I want to help you."

"You just have to trust us and let us help," Owen says gently. "We won't even tell anyone. Okay?"

"And we promise we won't leave you, ever," Maya interjects.

Cam looks at Owen and Maya. The tears finally stops and a warm smile spreads on his face. He pulls Maya into a hug and pecks her lips. Afterwards, he wraps his arm around Maya and turns towards Owen.

"Thank you for doing this. I'm sorry for snapping earlier. I wasn't in my right state of mind," he apologizes.

"It's fine Cam," Owen assures him. "Just know that Maya and I are here to help you. You just need to tell us what's going on."

.

.

_(Cam)_

They want him to tell them what's wrong. Does he have the strength to tell them that? Cam gulps as he looks at his girlfriend and his friend.

Cam knows he can trust them. They said they'd never leave and from the looks on their face, they look like they mean it.

Cam takes a deep breath and sighs. "I'm depressed. I've been feeling this way for a while and hockey triggers me to cut. Well, it's not hockey itself. It's the people. Dallas works me hard and everyone else expects me to be the star player. I have all this pressure on me and everyone is depending on me! If I lose, it'll be my fault. I can't take the pressure! I'm like a bomb; you're anxiously counting the minutes until I explode. I'm fucked up; my life is fucked up. I'm alone."

Cam looks at Maya and Owen. Neither of them knows what to say. Instead, Owen gets up. Cam panics because he's expecting him to leave, but he does the complete opposite! Owen commands Cam to stand up. Cam does as he's told and is pulled into a tight, warm hug. He hears Maya stand up and her arms wraps around him, too.

Maya lets go and says, "You're never alone. You have me."

"And me and Tristan," Owen assures him.

For once, Cam didn't feel alone.

.

.

"Since you two decided to miss practice yesterday, you're running an extra ten laps today and no breaks until I say so!" Dallas booms.

Owen and Cam had decided to show up to practice since they missed it yesterday. Cam was afraid of how Dallas would take it, but Owen said he was going to handle it.

He admires Owen for taking up for him and not being afraid to stand up to Dallas. Owen is the only real friend he has on the hockey team. Everyone else was sided with Dallas. They did as he told and they followed his every decision he has made.

"We have a reason why we missed practice," Owen speaks as Cam cuts him a look.

Owen ignores Cam's look and says, "Maya fell and hurt herself pretty bad yesterday. Cam and I stayed to take care of her."

"You think I care that chicken cutlet was hurt? You're running those laps! Come on, Luke," Dallas says as he skates away.

Luke looks at Cam and Owen with sympathetic eyes. He mouths he's sorry as he skates after Dallas.

"Don't worry, Cam," Owen says as they begin to run their laps, "Dallas is all talk on the ice, but in reality he's a punk."

Cam cracks a smile. Since that talk with Owen and Maya he's been smiling a lot. They, along with Tristan, didn't treat him any different. Maybe Cam can be happy after all.


	4. Chapter 4

**AN:** I am so sorry for not updating. I should have at least let you all know what was going on, but I guess I can tell you now. My mother was in the hospital, so I stayed there with her to make sure she was okay and not alone. I'm back now and she will be able to come home today. (Cheers loudly!)

I'm hoping that I have all of my readers here still! I promise to get back on my updating schedule which is every other day. By the way, if you're reading Ghosts of the Past, it will be updated tomorrow so stay posted!

Read/Favorite/Follow/Review! Don't forget to enjoy!

Suggestions are welcomed in my PMs.

**Disclaimer: Stephen Stohn owns Degrassi! **

**Chapter Four: I'm Living in Hell**

_(Cam)_

It's been a week since the talk with Owen and Maya. Cam couldn't be any happier. As he walked into the school today, he felt someone wrap their arms around him. He knew it was Maya without even turning around. He could smell her coconut lotion and her strawberry scent hair.

"Good morning cheesy," she says.

Cam turns around to wrap his arms around his girlfriend. He pecks her lips and says good morning back to her. The two link arms and they walk to her locker first. She puts away her book bag and grabs her books for her first hour. She closes her locker and then they walk away to Cam's locker. He does the same and they stand at his locker, waiting for Tristan and Owen to come.

Tristan shows up, dragging his book bag on the floor. Owen isn't with him.

"Cam, Owen is sick; he has the flu. He won't be here for the next couple of days. Sorry," Tristan apologizes.

Tristan walks away and Cam begins to mentally panic. What was he going to do without Owen? The teasing didn't feel so bad with him here, because he was talking to him and he took up for him. Without him here, he knows he won't be able to handle Dallas and the rest of the Ice Hounds.

"You okay?" Maya asks him nervously.

"Y-Yeah, I'm fine," Cam says as the bell rings.

He and Maya walk to their class. He takes a seat in his desk and feels his hands tremble with anxiety. Without Owen, he couldn't be strong. He needed him here. Cam has no clue what was in store for him at practice today.

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_(Owen)_

After vomiting for the third time, Owen flushed the toilet. He groaned in pain and made his way back to his room. He felt terrible; not only because he was sick, but because he had to miss school for the next couple of days. He is worried about Cam; he fears how Dallas and the Ice Hounds will treat Cam.

The poor kid isn't tough, he needs Owen to be his shield. Cam wasn't the type to be hardcore and mean. He's sweet; he's a lover and not a fighter. Owen on the other hand didn't take any crap from anyone. He spoke his mind and didn't fear Dallas.

What did Dallas have in store for Cam today? Owen had no clue, but he was starting to worry about it. Although the practice was a closed practice, maybe Owen could see if their coach would have Maya come and watch the practice along with Tristan. He just needed Cam to be safe.

Owen sent a quick text to his coach letting him know that he was going to be out for the next couple of says and why. He also asked his coach if his brother and Cam's girlfriend could go watch Cam at practice. After a few moments of waiting, his coach replied and said it was a private practice and no one was allowed. Owen groaned. This is going to be bad.

Owen got up off his bed and clutched his stomach. He had to go to the arena. He needed to be with Cam. He walked towards his door and opened it. He was going to have to sneak out of the house. Once he took one step out of his room, his mom emerged from hers.

"Owen Milligan, don't you think about leaving this house! Go lie back down and I will fix you some soup."

Owen sighed heavily and went back into his room. He went to lay back in bed and he slipped under the blankets. All he could think about was Cam.

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_(Cam)_

"Your body-guard isn't with you today, Rookie," Dallas sneers as he skates into the arena.

Cam feels his heart thump against his chest. His hands begin to sweat and tremble. He wipes his sweaty hands on his pants and ignores Dallas.

"Rookie, you need to work hard today! Our game is next Thursday! You're the slowest player on this team."

"But, I'm the MVP and from what I hear-"

"I don't give a damn about you being the MVP! I don't even understand how the hell they chose you as the MVP! You're the worse player on the Ice Hounds! If it wasn't the paparazzi's putting us in the papers, I would so get rid of your ass!" Dallas says menacingly.

Cam feels his eyes sting with tears, but he doesn't let them fall. He had no clue why Dallas was being so cruel to him. He didn't do anything to deserve this. Cam hands twitched and he silently began to wish he had a blade in his hand. He did promise Owen and Maya that he'd try to quit cutting, but this time he needed to. He was alone and his body craved for it.

Cam tried to skate away from Dallas, but before he could turn around he fell down on the ice. He rolled on his back and looked up to see Dallas laughing along with Luke and the other Ice Hounds members. He felt his face grow hot with embarrassment and anger.

Cam struggled to stand up. He slipped a few times before getting on his feet. Dallas blew his whistle and the practice began. During practice, Cam was slammed against the glass, shoved on the ice, and getting called names. Once practice was finally over, Cam skated off the ice, kicked off his skates, and ran into the bathroom. He heard Dallas and the team laugh at him, but he didn't care.

Cam ran into the stall and slammed the door behind him. The tears began to flow down his cheeks. He hadn't noticed how tightly he was clutching his skates until he saw the blood drip on the floor. Without caring about the blood that was oozing from his hands, Cam rolled up his sleeve and began to cut himself. He felt good; he felt relieved.

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_(Maya)_

She paced back and forth in Cam's living room. Maya has left him text messages and called him _at least _thirty times. She's worried sick about Cam! She knows without Owen being there Dallas was giving him a hard time. He was an asshole and he didn't give a shit about anyone but himself.

Maya remembers when he used to make fun of her. She, sometimes, wishes Dallas would go back to making fun of her instead of him harassing Cam. Maybe it would be better that way.

The front door opens and Maya runs to it. She sees a startled Cam. He closes the door and slowly sits his book bag next to the door. Maya flings her arms around hi,, hugging him tightly. She can feel his body tense and she hears him whispers, "Ouch!"

Maya cautiously removes her arms and looks worriedly at Cam. She reaches for his arm, but he jerks it away.

"You promised!" she yells in a harsh whisper.

"I know, but Maya-"

"Don't but me, Cam! You promised us you would quit! You said that you'd give us a call if you even felt like cutting!"

"You don't understand!" Cam yells and Maya can tell that he's growing frustrated. "The things Dallas and the teams do and says to me makes me cut! They make my life a living hell!"

"Then you should tell an adult," Maya suggests.

"Why? So the team can hate me even more? So they can bully me and push me closer to suicide?"

"Suicide? You want to commit suicide?"

"I've thought about it," Cam says sadly as he walks towards the sofa and takes a seat. Maya follows behind him and takes a seat next to him.

"Why?" she whispers.

"Maya, I feel like everything and everyone's life would be better if I was gone. I don't feel like I belong here."

"And did you ever think about how I felt? Or Owen and Tristan for that matter? Cam, I love you! I need you here! What the hell would I do without you? My life would be a living nightmare if you left!"

"Maya, you'd be fine. You-"

"I would _not_ be fine! If you kill yourself, Cam, you'd be the most selfish person ever!" Maya stands up and walks to the door. She opens the door and before leaving, she takes one last look at Cam. "If you kill yourself, I'd never forgive you."

She closes the door and walks down the street. She shoves her hands in her pockets and huffs angrily. She hopes that she has gotten through to Cam and he'll come back around to apologize. She loves Cam; she can't lose him.

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_(Cam)_

After Maya stormed out of the house, Cam sighed heavily and placed his face into the palm of his hands. He knew that this was going to happen. Maya had left him. He couldn't help that he had suicide thoughts. Certain things and people drove him to feel his way. it wasn't like he could wake up and be "normal" again. He was damaged and he would always be damaged.

Maya was angry and probably afraid of him, just as he expected. Cam stood off the couch and stormed up the steps to his room. He slammed the door and locked it behind him. He began to trash him room. He knocked over pictures that were in frames, bottles of colognes, and what ever else he could find. He was furious!

"Cam," Carol knocked. The tone of her voice was worried. "Are you alright in there? What's that noise?"

"I'm fine Carol, just please leave me alone!" Cam cried.

He continued to trash him room. Afterwards, he picked up a piece of glass and sat on his bed. He rolled up his pants leg and began to work on his thigh. Warm tears slid down his flustered cheeks.

When he had no one, Cam knew that he could always turn to cutting.

"Maybe I'm meant to be alone," he whispers as he runs the glass across his thigh.


	5. Chapter 5

**AN: I** know I said I was going to update yesterday, but I didn't because I had something to do. Maybe I won't update on the weekends. I'll continue all my updating on the weekdays. Okay?

I want to thank everyone for reading and liking the story! I was very hesitant about posting the first chapter, but when I saw the reviews after it, I was glad I did. Anyways, I was thinking about posting a Clare/OC story. It's really good, trust me, but I'm not sure about it. I may post it sometime this week if people would like me to. If you want to know about the story, PM me and I could send you the first chapter.

Read/Favorite/Review/Follow and most importantly, enjoy!

**Disclaimer: Stephen Stohn owns Degrassi**

**Chapter Five: Drowning in my Sorrows  
**

_(Maya)_

She's been feeling rather guilty since that heated argument between her and Cam. All Maya could think about is Cam talking about how he thought about suicide. Was his life so hard that he wanted to end his life? Did he not know that he had people who cared for him?

Maya walked into Degrassi and made her way to her locker. She expected to see Cam there, but he wasn't. Sighing, she put in her combination and grabbed her first hour book. She closed her locker and walked to Cam's locker. He wasn't there. Maya began to panic. She let her books slip out of her hand and crash on the floor. The papers that were stuffed in her books were now scattered on the floor.

Maya ran down the hall and out of the school. She ran as fast as her little legs could carry her. She stopped a few times to catch her breath, but in less than ten minutes, she was on Cam's porch. She knocked on the door and wiped her sweaty hair from her face. She gasped for air and silently hoped that Cam was still alive.

The door swung open and Carol stood at the door. She gave Maya a puzzle look.

"Maya, dear, what are you doing here?" she asked as she checked the time on her watch. "Shouldn't you be at school?"

"C-Cam wasn't there," she chokes out, "and I began to grow worried. Is he here?"

"Yes, he's resting. He says he doesn't feel good; he's been throwing up and he's pale. If you like, you can come by after school or-"

"Can I see him, please?"

"But you have school, which you should be in at this moment. I'll take you to school, because I have to go that way to get Cam some soup. After school you can come straight over and stay as long as you want. Then, I'll drop you off at home. Sounds good?"

"Yes, thank you Carol." Maya felt some weight lift off her shoulders. She was glad that Cam is safe.

"No problem. Now, come dear. Let's get you to school."

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_(Cam)_

Cam couldn't go to school today. He couldn't take another day with those Ice Hounds by himself. He knew that Owen would return tomorrow, so he had to miss a day of school and return tomorrow.

To make himself sick, Cam had to drink some milk. He's lactose intolerant so the milk didn't settle with his stomach. Carol bought his lie of him saying that he came down with something. She nurtures him and told him that she was going to go out to buy him soup.

High school was like living in hell itself. Cam didn't have that many friends and his own teammates bullied him. He came to Degrassi hoping he could escape the things that he went through at his other school, but it wasn't much of a change. The only difference was he had a made a few friends and he had someone to protect him. That didn't help much because the bullies overpowered that caring feeling he felt. They made him feel worthless and afraid.

Cam knew that he had scared Maya away from him. She was afraid of him and he had a feeling that was going to happen. Cam felt that maybe it would be better if he didn't have anyone as friends. That way if he decides to commit suicide no one would care. The world would be better without him here.

_"No one wants you; you're worthless,"_ his inner voice sneers in a slimy voice.

Tears begin to spill from Cam's eyes. His inner voice was right, he is worthless. Everyone made that pretty clear. Cam rolled out of bed and made his way over to his dresser. He grabbed a bottle of sleeping pills from his dresser and opened the cap.

"I don't belong here," he whispered as he poured the pills in his hand.

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_(Owen)_

Owen had just gotten out of the shower. He was feeling better, but his mom made him stay today to make sure. Since he had nothing to do at home, Owen decided to workout to pass time.

Owen walked into his room and dried off. He retrieved his boxers and sweats and slipped them on. Just as he was about to go dry off his hair, Tristan burst into his room. His face was flustered and he looked terrified.

"What the f-"

"Cam is in the hospital, again! He tried to commit suicide," Tristan explains. "We need to go, like now!"

Owen hurriedly threw on his T-shirt and grabbed his shoes. Him and Tristan ran out of the house and hopped into the car. They drove off to the hospital.

As Owen stopped at a red light, he banged his hands against the steering wheel. He let out a scream in frustration. Why would Cam try to kill himself? Why didn't he come talk to him if he was having trouble? He felt a tear threaten to fall from his face. He didn't want to cry, but the tear had slid down his face. He felt like he had failed. He had failed to protect him. He let Cam down.

"It's going to be okay, big bro," Tristan coos as he touches Owen's arm. "Cam will be okay."

Owen sighed heavily as the light turned green. He sped off to the hospital. The whole way there, he couldn't help but think that it was all his fault.

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_(Cam)_

So, here he was, again. The annoying beeping sound had awaken him, again. His eyelids fluttered open and his nose scrunched up at the sterile smell in the room. The smell of hospitals always made him frown. He hated the smell.

How did he end up here? Then, it dawned on him. He had taken some sleeping pills and tried to end his life. He thought he was going to really die as he felt his life slowly slip away. Who saved him?

The door to the hospital room opened and in came a woman. She had shoulder-length black hair and she has brown skin. She was wearing her nurse uniform and had a welcoming smile on her face.

"Hi, Campbell, my name is Shawn and I'm you're nurse until six p.m. Would you like anything?"

"W-Water," he answered and he suddenly felt his throat ache for water.

"Okay, well, there's a button right there," she said as she pointed for the button, "Call me if you'd like anything else. I'll be right back with your water."

Shawn walked away and Cam was alone once again. He closed his eyes for a brief second, but once the door opened, his eyes popped back open. Carol was standing there with Maya, Tristan, and Owen. They all looked worried and upset.

"Campbell, I won't fuss at you because I don't what's going on with you," Carol says and her voice wavers. "But I do want to know why. Why would you want to end your life?"

When Cam doesn't respond, Owen asks if he could have a few moments alone with him. Carol, Tristan, and Maya walked out of the room. Once the door closes, Owen walks to the bed and takes a seat. He doesn't talk for a few seconds. He closes his eyes and it looks like he's in deep thought.

"You've been in here for two days, Cam. Two whole days. I spent two days worrying if you were dead and putting the blame all on myself. You scared us to death, Campbell."

"Owen, I-"

"You didn't mean to. I know that's what you're going to say, but you did mean to. You did mean to try to kill yourself. I know that we don't understand what's going on through your mind, but help us understand. Instead of trying to end your life, just try to talk to us. If you're feeling like you're alone, remember you have Carol, me, Maya, and Tristan. We're here for you."

"I know that, but sometimes that isn't good enough to stop me. I have more people who hate me than care for me," Cam says as Shawn comes in with a cup of water. She hands it to Cam, smiles, and leaves out.

"Those fuckin' losers aren't shit, Cam! They want you to cry; they want to tear you down and you let them!" Owen yells angrily. "They enjoy seeing you crack! All you have to do is stand up for yourself!"

"I can't, Owen! Not everyone can be strong and brave like you!" Cam argued.

"You don't have to be strong and brave like me. You just have to have a positive mind."

"My mind hasn't been positive for a long time," Cam chuckles dryly.

Before Owen could speak, there was a knock on the door. In walked a doctor and two nurses.

"Hello, Mr. Saunders. I'm Doctor Meyers and I just need to ask you a few questions and run some tests, okay?"

"Okay," Cam answered quietly.

"Okay and who's this guy here?" Doctor Meyers questions.

"I'm Owen, Cam's best friend."

"Okay, well, I need you to step out for a few while we run tests and asks him questions. Okay?"

"Okay, sure."

Owen stands up off the chair and Cam watches his walk out of the room. He sighed, not wanting to answer any questions.

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_(Maya)_

Carol went inside to talk to Cam while Tristan, Owen, and Maya went to the cafeteria. None of them have eaten since they found out about Cam. It was Carol who had forced them to go eat. She handed them money and sent them on their way.

The three emerged from the elevator and walked into the cafeteria. They looked around to see what they wanted to eat. Maya settled for an apple, strawberry yogurt, and water. Owen got a sub and cranberry juice. Tristan got a slice of pizza and water. They walked to a table and took a seat so they could eat.

They all ate in silence. No one knew what to say. They were all scared for Cam.

No one at Degrassi knew what was going on. They didn't want the word to get out that Cam had tried to commit suicide. Everyone thought he was at home, sick with the flu and it was going to stay that way.

"Maybe we can talk to him, let him know that we're here for him," Tristan said as he opened his bottled water and took a sip.

"We tried that," Owen said, wiping the crumbs from his mouth, "and it didn't work, obviously."

"Well, what can we do?" Tristan groaned, "Cam is all of our friends and we can't let him do this, again!"

"We have to get the Ice Hounds to back off Cam," Maya speaks. It was the first word she has said since Cam's incident.

"But how? If Owen tries to go against Dallas then he'll be kicked off."

"Hockey isn't that important to me, big bro."

"No, but sports are. You're trying to get a scholarship and-"

"Right now, Tris, Cam's life is more important to me than a scholarship."

Tristan shoots Owen a "are you serious" look. Owen nods his head and Maya hears him sigh. She stirs around her untouched yogurt and takes a sip of her water. Since Cam's incident, she hasn't eaten in two days. She barely slept. She can't help but feels that it's her fault. She probably pushed Cam to do this. She knew how Cam was feeling and instead of trying to help him, she yelled at him.

She feels her bottom lip tremble and tears slide down her cheeks. She's been doing that a lot lately. Crying was something that she didn't do a lot, but once Cam exposed his secret, she's been crying. She feels terrible for him and wishes he would let her help, but he shuts her out. He shuts everyone out. She can't help but feel that she's been a terrible girl friend.

"It's okay, My," Tristan assures her, "We'll get through this."

Maya wanted to believe Tristan, but she couldn't. What if they won't get through this. What if they do lose Cam. So many what if questions flows through her head as she thinks about how she almost lost her boy friend. They _need_ to find a way to get him better. They _need_ Cam to be okay.


	6. Chapter 6

**AN:** Hello everyone! I want to thank you all for the reviews and sticking there for me. I said the story was going to be 10-15 chapters, but it may be a little less than that. I'm not sure. Now, to everyone wondering will the Ice Hounds find out in this chapter, they will.

I know most of you are hating Maya for the way she yelled at Cam and how she doesn't understand. You will be able to read their conversation today. He'll also have a heartwarming conversation with his billet mom, too.

Also, if you haven't read my new story, then check it out! :)

Now, that I got that out the way, on to the important stuff.

Favorite/Follow/Review/Enjoy!

**Disclaimer: **Stephen Stohn owns Degrassi.

Chapter Six: I'll Be There

_(Cam)_

After being discharged from the hospital, Cam walked with Carol to her car. They got in and drove in silence. Every few seconds, Cam would catch Carol looking at him with concerned eyes. She looked at him like he was so fragile and that he might crack. Ever since he woke up, she talked to him slowly and carefully, almost as if he was a baby.

Sighing, Cam glanced out of the window and looked at the houses and other things they've passed. He heard Carol sigh next to him. It was a sad sigh. He didn't mean to make them all worry. He was only thinking of himself. He wanted to use the easy way out instead of standing up for himself.

Carol pulled into the driveway and as she turned off the car, Cam got out. He walked on to their porch and waited for Carol to open the front door. Once she made it to the porch, she unlocked the door, and they made it inside. The sweet aroma of lavender and berries filled Cam's nostrils. It was the scent of the house that he had grown to like. It made him feel like he was...home.

"Cam, have a seat," Carol said softly.

Cam obeyed and took a seat on the sofa. Carol sat next to him and hesitantly patted his knee. Before Cam could ask what was going on, she burst into tears. He looked at her confusedly, not knowing that was going or nor why she was crying. He wrapped his arm around her and awkwardly patted her back.

"Cam," she said through her sobs, "When I was contacted and asked to take you in for a while, I was ecstatic because I was finally getting what I had wanted: a son. I didn't care that it was temporary, I only cared that I was getting to look after someone and take care of them." Carol took a deep breath before continuing. "When my ex-husband and I were together, we kept trying to get pregnant, but it didn't work. I kept wondering why everyone around me kept getting pregnant and how come I couldn't. I-I went to the doctor and they told me the most heart shattering thing. T-They told me I couldn't have kids. It broke my heart because I've always wanted kids, especially a little boy."

Carol cried some more. Her shoulders shook furiously as she did so. Cam reached over and grabbed some tissue that was sitting on the coffee table. He handed it to her and she thanked him before wiping her tears.

Cam was speechless. He had no clue how to respond to the things Carol was telling him. He began to wonder why she was even telling him this? It wasn't that he didn't care, because he did. He just wondered why she was telling him this all of a sudden.

When Carol finally found the strength to talk, she continued. "When I came home to tell my husband, he left me. I was so shocked and heartbroken. I couldn't believe it! For years I prayed for a miracle, and now, here you are. I know you're not technically mines, but I like to pretend you are."

"Carol, where are you going with this?" Cam asked slowly.

"When I saw you in that hospital twice, I felt like I was going to lose you. I felt like I had failed of protecting you; I was breaking my promise to your family back home. Owen told me all of things you've gone through and what you've done to yourself."

Cam's body tensed up. How could Owen tell? He thought that he wasn't going to tell anyone! It was bad enough Maya and Tristan knows. They're all probably scared of him. They probably think he's crazy. As Cam began to angrily think, he gritted his teeth.

"Don't be mad at Owen," Carol said as if she was reading his mind, "I forced it out of him. I wanted to know what was wrong with you and I'm glad I did. Cam, you know if you ever need to talk-"

"I can't talk to you all! You won't understand! You'll treat me differently and you'll think I'm crazy," Cam said as he felt his heartbeat quicken.

"Cam, I don't think you're crazy and I won't treat you any different. I'll always think of you as the son I've never had and always wanted. Okay?"

Now, it was Cam's turn to cry. Hearing Carol tell him this makes him miss being home. It makes him think of his mother and the talk she used to always have with him. Carol wrapped her arms around Cam, pulling him into a motherly embrace. Cam hugged her back and the two cried. For once, he felt safe. He felt like he actually belonged here.

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_(Maya)_

Maya sat on the park bench waiting for Cam. He had sent her a text telling her to meet him here. Honestly, Maya was nervous. The two hasn't talked since the argument between them. She hasn't even talked to him since he left the hospital. She was afraid that he'd yell at her and break up with her. She also felt guilty for probably being the one to drive him to try to commit suicide.

Maya toyed with the necklace Cam had gotten her for their one month anniversary. It was a silver necklace with a music note on there. It had tiny diamonds embedded in the note. It was one of the best things anyone has ever gotten her. It meant so much to her, especially since it came from Cam.

She was so deep in thought that she hadn't even notice that Cam was walking towards the bench she was sitting on. When she heard him clear his throat, she jumped and looked up at him. Cam chuckled at her and she blushed of slight embarrassment.

"Cam, h-hi," she managed to get out. As she studied his face, she noticed that he looked different. His eyes had bags under them and his hair was a little disheveled. He looked so tired and for a second, he looked a bit older.

"Can I sit?" he asked.

"Sure, sit," she commanded softly and patted the space next to her.

Cam complied and sat down. The two sat in awkward silence. Maya was beginning to grow worried and nervous. She knew it was coming and she wished that he'd hurry and get it over with. Although she didn't want Cam to break up with her, she knew it was for the best. She had been a terrible girlfriend and she wasn't there when he needed her to be.

"Cam," she said and she heard her voice crack, "If you're going to break up with me then please, hurry and get it over with. B-But before you do just know that I'm sorry for being such a terrible girlfriend. I know I should have been there when you needed me. I was just so hurt that you thought about taking your life and I was hurt that you thought I'd be better without you. I was only thinking of myself and I didn't take the time to consider your feelings. I-"

Maya was cut off by Cam laughing. She scrunched her face and looked at him angrily. Why was he laughing at her? This was not the reaction she was expecting. She was trying to apologize and let him know how terribly guilty she felt and yet, he was laughing. What was going on?

Growing frustrated, Maya stood up. She was about to storm away until she felt Cam grab her arm. It wasn't forceful, it was gentle. He turned her around to face him. She wanted to turn away because she had tears already spilling down her eyes. She couldn't dare look him in the eyes. She felt so stupid; so humiliated.

"Maya, why are you trying to leave?" he asked and Maya felt herself become ever angrier.

"Because, you're laughing while I'm trying to tell you how sorry I am and convince you not to break up with me!" she snapped.

"I laughed because you thought I was going to break up with you. I'm not breaking up with you, Maya Matlin."

Maya stood there dumbfounded. Did she just hear him correctly? Cam just told her he wasn't going to break up with her. She let out a sigh of relief and wiped the tears from her face. Once again, she felt stupid. She let herself become so emotional and worked up over nothing.

"Then, w-why'd you want to talk?" she asked.

"I haven't talked to you since you got angry with me. I-I saw you at the hospital once, but that was it. You didn't come back, you didn't call, or anything. I thought you were angry with me and wanted to break up with me."

Maya mentally slapped herself. Of course she wanted to talk to him, but she was afraid that he'd want to break up with her. She thought that he was going to hate her for being so inconsiderate.

"I'm not angry anymore. At first I was, because I thought I was going to lose you forever. I only avoided you, because I thought you hated me and wanted to break up with me."

"Well, now this big misunderstanding is over, let's go walk around the park," Cam said.

"B-But, I still need to apologize and-"

"No, Maya, let's not talk about it. I want to leave that all behind me. Okay?"

"Okay."

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_(Owen)_

Monday morning had come too quick. Owen took forever to get out of his comfortable bed and hop in the shower to get ready for school. After he had finished getting ready, he walked down the steps and went into the kitchen. He fixed himself some Cookie Crisps. Once he polished off his breakfast, Tristan came downstairs fully dressed. He grabbed himself an orange and ruffled Owen's hair playfully. Owen playfully growled as he fixed his hair. Tristan laughed as he began to peel his orange.

"Will Cam be coming back today?" Tristan asked.

"Yeah, hopefully I can get the team to back off," Owen sighed.

"Good luck doing that, you know they're all Dallas' minions. They'll do whatever he tells him to do. Than goodness you're not like that anymore."

Owen sighed. He hated when people brought up how he used to be. Yes, he was once a bully, and if he could, he'd take it back. Now, he's working hard to get rid of that reputation that he had when he first came to Degrassi. He's better now and he's never going back down that road.

"Come on," Owen said as he stood up, "let's go to school."

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.

.

School was a breeze and now it was time for practice. This was something that both Owen and Cam was dreading. As they walked into the arena, the team was standing there with their arms crossed. They looked at the two menacingly. Owen heard Cam swallow hard next to him. He knew that Cam was nervous. Everyone in the arena knew that Cam was nervous. The team let out a chorus of laughter. They probably smelt the fear that was coming from Cam.

"You two keep missing practice. You know, our game is coming up and you two need to work _extra_ hard," Dallas sneered as he skated towards the two.

"Whatever pain you're gonna cause, leave Cam out of it. He-"

"Milligan, is this your little boyfriend, now?" Dallas questioned loudly and the team laughed. "Why do you have a sudden interest in protecting Rookie?"

"Dallas, if you keep talking, I'll-"

"You'll what? Kick my ass? You do that and you'll be off the team in a blink of an eye."

Owen stopped talking. He couldn't afford to get kicked off the team, because sports was something he really cared about. His parents pushed him into doing sports and now he stuck to it. It was something that kept them proud.

Dallas ordered for the team to practice. They used Cam and Owen as their target. They shoved them on the ice, pushed them around, and slammed them into the glass. Owen looked over at Cam and saw he was getting fed up. His face was getting red with anger. If steam could out of Cam's ears, now would be the perfect time.

Cam stood up and slammed his hockey stick on the ice. The team looked at him and laughed. They all began to chatter and point at him. Cam's helmet was next to go off. He threw it down in anger.

"Aw, Rookie's upset," Dallas teased.

"Now might be the best time to leave him alone," Luke spoke, finally sounding concerned.

"What?" Dallas asked shockingly, "You gonna side with them now?"

"N-No, I just think-"

"Who care's what you think!" Dallas yelled. "I want to hear what Rookie here has to say."

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_(Cam)_

He was fed up with Dallas bullying him along with the team. It was time that he listened to Owen and stand up for himself. It was time that Cam let Dallas know just how much Dallas has hurt him. He began to take off his hockey jersey. The team stared at him confusedly.

"Whoa, Rookie, none of us roll like that, but Owen on the other hand," Dallas joked.

"Just shut the fuck up!" Owen and Luke snapped.

Once Cam was shirtless, he heard the team gasp. He knew they were staring at the cuts that was all on his torso. It was time to let them all know.

"You all have bullied me since I've came here and I'm sick of it! Each time you made my day hell, I cut! The reason I've been missing school is because I've been in the hospital! I tried to kill myself because of you all! You made me feel like dirt and made me feel like I wasn't good enough even when I tried to be something!"

The team stood in silence. It was the first time none of them had anything to say. Cam let out a breath of relief. It finally felt good to get that off his chest.

**AN: **I know you all were hoping you'd see the Ice Hounds reaction, but that won't be until Tuesday! Sorry! :) Stay tuned!


	7. Chapter 7

**AN: **Hello everyone! It's Degrassi Tuesday and an update for _Red Lights & Warning Signs._ Due to the many requests, after this story ends, I will be making a Camaya/Matlingsworth story. As I began to write the story, I realized that I'm going to make my story the sequel to this one, because this one will soon be coming to an end. It has one more chapter left.

I want to thank you all for the reviews and giving this story a chance! The reviews make me super happy! It means so much to me to see people enjoy my stories. Anyways, this chapter picks up where we last left off. So, get ready to see the rest of Cam's meltdown.

Favorite/Follow/Review/Enjoy!

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Degrassi

Chapter 7: Don't Bite Your Tongue

_(Cam)_

The arena was filled with silence and it actually angered Cam. For once, the team had nothing to say. They said a lot when he made one, simple mistake, but now..._nothing_! Why aren't they saying anything?

Cam folded his arm across his chest and he felt his face grow hot with anger. He knows Owen must have sensed it, because he skated towards Cam and patted his back. Cam lets his head hang and he groans in frustration. This is not the reaction he was expecting and it's eating him alive!

"Now you have _nothing_ to say?" Cam yells and he's actually shocked that his voice is so loud. "I tell you all that you're the reason I cut and now, you say nothing! I thought about suicide because you! You made my life a living hell and now you don't say a damn word!"

Silence. No one spoke. They all had the same expression: scared, guilty, and shocked. They hung their head in shame and it just made Cam more agitated.

"Say something!" Cam yelled.

Owen was the first to speak although he had nothing to do with it. He has been by Cam's side and he's been slowly helping him get better. Cam looks up to him and he seems Owen as a big brother. Owen has fought hard to protect him and make sure he's happy.

"You all out of be ashamed of yourselves!" Owen voice booms throughout the arena. "Cam is sitting here telling you all what you've done to him and you can't say a damn word? You can't even tell him you're sorry! This is supposed to be a team; we're supposed to look out for each other and help each other. Instead, you're sitting here tearing down our _most valued player_! Whether you like it or not, Cam will always be apart of this team and you have to learn to start respecting him!"

Luke skates forward and he tosses his hockey stick aside. He clears his throat and a deep sigh escapes his lips. "Shit, Cam, I-" he corrects himself, "We didn't know. I-"

"Even if you didn't know, you still shouldn't have bullied him to the point that he can barely stand his life," Owen states through clenched teeth.

"Rookie-," Dallas starts but gets cut off by an angry Cam.

"Don't call me Rookie! My name is Cam!"

"O-Okay," Dallas stammers as he corrects himself, "_Cam_, we're so sorry. Why didn't you tell us before?"

"Would it had mattered? You all were so wrapped around making my life a living hell that you didn't even notice what I was going through! The only one who noticed was Owen. He's been helping me out along with my girlfriend, my close friend, and my billet mom. While you all were thinking of new ways to torture me, I was trying to figure out how I could kill myself! I was thinking about why I couldn't seem to please the team!"

.

.

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_(Dallas)_

He was in shocked; Cam has cut himself and it was all because of him. He tried to pry through his mind what he could say, but nothing seemed to fit. He couldn't tell Cam that he was sorry, because sorry doesn't make up for the damage that he has caused.

Dallas only had one reason why he dislike Cam; it was because he's the MVP. He's the celebrity of the team. He gets all the attention although the team has bust their balls just as much as he has. It angered Dallas that he worked hard, along with the rest of the team, and no one congratulated them. The paparazzi and all the fans were always around Cam. Dallas was so fed up with it that he started to bully Cam. He wanted to tear him down so he could quit the team and maybe he could take over. He wasn't thinking if it was going to hurt Cam. Dallas was only thinking about himself and moving to the top.

Now, seeing how damage Cam is makes Dallas guilty and ashamed. He never realized that Cam was going through something and now that he knew, he wishes he could take it all back.

"Cam, I never meant to-"

Cam cut Dallas off once again. "You never meant to make me want to commit suicide? You never wanted to make me cut? It's too late for all of that! The damage is done and now you can't take back what you did!"

Dallas has never seem Cam so angry in his life! Cam was always the laid back one and didn't show anger, but now that he did, Dallas felt so bad. He hates that he's the cause of this. He never wanted to be this bad of a bully. He just wanted to scare Cam off the team.

"Look, I'm sorry!" Dallas yells. "I didn't mean to make you want to kill yourself and I didn't mean to make you cut!"

"Now, you're angry?" Cam asks and his voice gets louder. "You have _no right_ to be angry and yell at me!"

Dallas doesn't speak, again. He's lost at words, something that's very rare.

"Why'd you do it?" Cam asks softly.

"Because I was jealous that you were getting all of the attention while the team didn't even get acknowledge."

"That's no excuse," Owen chimes in and Dallas shoots him a look. Owen just smirks, showing that's not afraid of Dallas.

"I didn't want the attention!" Cam argues. "I kept telling them to acknowledge you all, but they wouldn't!"

Dallas looks down at the ice. Once, again, he felt ashamed. Cam was looking out for the team, but Dallas didn't know. That wasn't an excuse, though.

"We're all sorry, Cam," Luke says in Dallas' defense.

"Yeah, whatever. You all wanted me off the team so bad, right? So now, I quit!"

Cam skated off the arena and before anyone could speak, Owen glared at the team before skating away. The team was left to soak in the silence of guilt and shame.

"L-Let's begin practice," Dallas speaks.

"Oh no you don't," their coach's voice booms into the arena. "Why the hell did _two_ of my players quit?!"

"Coach, I-"

"I don't want to hear it, Dallas! You better get me my players back or I'm kicking you off the team!"

.

.

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_(Owen)_

Owen decided to take Cam, Maya, Tris, and himself out to celebrate. Cam had stood up to the team and he couldn't be happier. It had made his spirits brighter.

The four of them were going out to Little Miss Steaks for a celebratory dinner and afterwards, Owen was taking them to an arcade. He wanted Cam to enjoy this day as much as possible. He was going to make sure it was a day he'd never forget.

They piled into the car and drove off to Little Miss Steaks. Once they arrived, they went inside and were immediately seated at a booth. They looked over the menu and waited patiently for someone take their order. Once the waitress came to their table, their order was taken and they all began to talk.

"Owen told us how you went off on the team!" Maya says.

"Yeah," Tristan chimes in, "he told us how he saw a side of you he never thought he'd see."

"And I never want to see that side again. You scared me," Owen says, earning a few laughs.

Their food comes and everyone digs in. After dinner, they go to the arcade. When they arrived, Tristan looks at Owen with pleading eyes. Sighing and rolling his eyes, Owen fishes a $20 and a $10 bill out of his pocket. Tristan smiles and runs off with his friends. Owen chuckles to himself and decides to look around the arcade. His phone vibrates and he pulls it out of his pocket to see it's Dallas calling.

"What!" Owen answers.

"We need you both back," Dallas says and Owen hears him sigh. "Can you two meet us at Degrassi gym before school opens tomorrow?"

"Yeah, sure," Owen says before hanging up.

Owen doesn't know what Dallas and the team has in store, but he doesn't want to think about it now. His attention focuses on the three friends who are having fun. They're all laughing, having fun, and playing games. It was nice to see the three of them so happy and full of life, again.

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.

They arrived at the school an hour before school begins. Owen tells Tris and Maya to go to The Dot and wait there until they come back for them. Once they're gone, Owen calls Dallas to let him know that they're outside of the school. Dallas comes to open the door and the three walk into the gym. When they arrive, the team is all there and they're holding a huge sign that says: **THE ICE HOUNDS ARE SORRY!****  
**

Cam chuckles while Owen scoffs. They were sorry alright.

"Look, Cam," Dallas says and then his eyes flickers to Owen, "and Owen, we're sorry for the pain that we've caused and I'm sorry for being a complete ass. I did some thinking and I realized that everything I did was wrong. If Cam would have gone through with committing suicide, I wouldn't be able to live with knowing that I was the cause of it. Can you just...forgive us and come back to the team? The both of you. I promise, no more bullying. From now on, I'll even protect you and-"

"Geez Dallas," Cam says, cutting Dallas off, "You sound like a wife wanting her husband to come home." Cam and the team laugh, but Dallas isn't laughing. In fact, his body is sort of trembling.

"P-Please, come back?"

"Sure," Owen answers, looking at Cam, "why not?"


	8. Chapter 8

**AN: **Hello! I know you all were waiting on an update Thursday and Friday. but I was busy. I visited my mother both of those days. I wanted to make sure she was okay. The updating will resume today and this is the last chapter of _Red Lights & Warning Signs._ The sequel will be uploaded on Wednesday and I have another new story I'm working on that will be uploaded on Thursday...well, this is unless I go see my mom and stay down there for a while.

Okay, well, enjoy the last chapter everyone! I want to thank you all for reading this. :D

Favorite/Follow/Review/Enjoy!

**Disclaimer: **Stephen Stohn owns Degrassi

Chapter Eight: Brighter Days

_(Cam)_

_2 Months Later..._

It is now June- the last day of school. Cam and the others sat down in their chairs, watching the seniors graduate. When Owen name was called, everyone in their group stood up and cheered loudly. Owen thrust his diploma in the air and shoot them a smile.

Everything was better now. The Ice Hounds has been kind to Cam and Owen. They left the bullying alone. They stopped bullying everyone. They even started up a secret group where they bust bullies and threaten them to leave everyone alone. Cam found it quiet amusing.

Once the ceremony was over, the group waited for Owen. He chatted with his family before spotting them. He hugged his parents once more and walked over towards them. Dallas slapped hands with him and congratulated him. Luke and the others did the same. When Owen stopped at Maya and Cam, he brought them in a group hug. He squeezed them tightly and kissed them both on the forehead.

"We're gonna miss you, Owen," Maya said softly.

"Guys, I'll still be around. I'm just going to TU," he laughed.

"Yeah, but you won't be at school," Cam said. "The Ice Hounds won't be the same without you, man."

"You guys will be fine without me, trust me. Now, who's up for a little celebration?"

The group cheered and hooted loudly.

"Uh, not yet, Owen," Tristan said, causing the to hush. "Mom and dad want you to go out for dinner first."

"Oh yeah. Forgot about that. Okay, we all will meet up at the school around 5:30. I'll pick up Maya and Cam."

"Okay, see ya Owen. Bye Tris!" Maya called out.

Everyone said bye to Owen and Tristan as they watched them walk away. Then, Cam grabbed his girlfriend's hand and led her away from the crowd.

"Wassup Cheesy?" she asked with a huge grin.

"U-Uh," Cam stumbled, "close your eyes."

"Okay."

Cam fumbled in his pocket and pulled out a velvet box. He took a deep breath and opened the box, revealing 18K white gold necklace with a musical note pendant on it. Cam walked behind Maya and slowly placed the necklace on. He heard Maya shriek, saying it was cold. He told her she could open her eyes now and when she did, she let out a squeal.

"Cam, i-it's beautiful!" she said, turning around and throwing her arms around Cam.

"I knew you'd like it," he grinned.

"Like it? I _love_ it! Thank you."

"I love you, Maya," he said softly, taking her hands in his.

Maya bit her lip, a blush coming across her cheeks. "I love you, too."

Cam pulled her into a kiss. Her hands untangled from his hands and her arms moved around his neck. She let them hang loosely there. They kissed for a little while longer until they heard Dallas laugh. The two broke apart and looked at him with redden cheeks.

"Aw, I see you gave it to her," Dallas said with a smile.

"Yeah," Cam smiled, biting his lip.

"Come on love birds. Lets get you two home."

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.

Owen picked them up around 5:20. Everyone had went home to change and now, they were all getting ready to go to the party Owen's parents were throwing. Owen had told everyone to meet up at Degrassi so they could all follow him there.

Once they arrived at Degrassi, a few cars were there. Owen got out of the car, telling Cam and Maya to stay put. Cam took off his seat belt and turned around in the passenger seat. He flashed Maya a smile.

"This party is gonna be awesome!"

"I know," she said. "I love your smile."

"You tell me that a lot," Cam grinned, his cheeks turning red.

"That's because I barely saw you smile before. Now, it's good to see it."

Before Cam could speak, Owen got in the car. He told them that had to wait on a few more people and then, they'll be on their way. About fifteen minutes later, everyone was on their way to Owen's house. When they arrived, they all gaped at Owen's house. It was freakin' huge!

They all piled out of the car and into Owen's house. Music was blasting and a few people were already there. Everyone separated once they got inside. Cam and Maya went to go find Tristan.

"Hey guys!" Tristan said, coming behind them.

"Hey, Tris. Love the home," Cam said.

"Thanks. Feel free to come over any t- OMG! You gave her the necklace. When?"

"Once you and Owen left," Cam grinned.

"So, everyone just knows about the necklace, huh?" Maya joked.

"We all went shopping with Cam so he could have different opinions," Tristan explained. "Now, enough chit-chat! Let's go party!"

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.

.

"I'm going to miss you," Maya pouted.

Cam was going home for the summer. His family misses him terribly and he misses them, too. He promised Maya that he was going to Skype and call her every chance that he got. He hates to leave her, but she understands. She doesn't want him to be without his family for so long.

"I'm gonna miss you, too My."

Maya bit her lip as tears began to swell in his eyes. Cam sighed sadly. He didn't want to see her cry.

"Aw. Come here," he said.

Cam held his arms open and Maya walked into his hug. She cried in his shoulder, clinging on to his shirt. He stroked her hair and kissed the top of her head. He knows Maya is crazy about him and the feelings are mutual. He loves her so much, especially since she stayed by his side.

"You have Tristan and Owen here. You can always go see them."

"Y-Yeah, I guess," she mumbled in his shoulder.

"I'll only be gone for the summer. I come back a couple of weeks before school start. We can spend those two weeks together."

"O-Okay," she sniffled.

"Come on Cam," Carol said coming near the two, "Lets get going."

"Okay," Cam said as Maya left go of him. He gave her one last kiss before grabbing his bags. As he and Carol walked away, he felt Maya staring at him. He turned around, winked at her, and mouthed that he loves her. She mouthed it back and blew a kiss at him. When he and Carol got into the car, he saw Maya walking slowly away.

Now that Cam wasn't stressing anymore, he could enjoy this summer. He didn't have to worry about coming home to big, bad bullies. He only had the summer fun in front of him. This summer was going to be great!


End file.
